Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal issued an executive order that would effectively make the Bayou State the fourth to withdraw from Common Core this year, but a top education official vowed to implement the national education standards anyway.

Jindal used the order to defy state lawmakers who support the national education standard by requiring competitive bidding for tests tied to education standards. The move would likely block Common Core-tied testing program, known as PARCC for students in third through eighth grades. The tests administered by PARCC, an acronym for Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, have not been purchased yet, and Jindal noted they are among the most expensive available.

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… Jindal, who said he is confident the PARCC tests will not be able to compete in a bid, instructed the state Legislature to develop its own set of standards next legislative session to replace the Common Core. He said the state had the right to back out of a 2010 agreement to work with PARCC on implementation of Common Core because subsequent changes to the deal “make Louisiana’s membership in conflict with Louisiana law.”

… But John White, the state’s superintendent of schools said he cannot unilaterally remove withdraw Louisiana from the standards.

Why should states have any say in the education of children, anyway? And of course, it would be a terrible, terrible thing to see if there are better standards out there than Common Core for our kids. Obama wants Common Core, so that’s how it shall be — our Dear Leader has spoken.